The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-12
TILE pR0HLRLrLONLSTS

l
OF this state have done well not TO organ
izc n third party. Whatever any portion
Of the people desire In any direction Of
reform they can better accomplish through
one or other Of the existing political organ.
izations than by attempting The establish
ment Of party upon one distinctive issue.
That has many times been tried, and ~
often has filled. Parties are the result Of
growth, and not Of resolutions. They grow
by steady accntions, and when the full
ness Of time IL reached they begin the
work that has been accumulating for
them. For the first forty years
Of the existence Of this State there
was hut one political party within
its borders. Ba, during that time the
forces were gradually crystallizlng that in
1880 found expression through Hugh l..
White, John Bell, Ephraim Foster and
Others, and that ia a few months after
the break with Andrew jackson cul-
minated In the formation Of the Wing
party Ia Tennessee. The formation Of
national parties was n slow process, and
the attempted adjustment Of men to them
placed some Of the leading statesmen Of
that time At disadvantage, 10 that they
were often misunderstood. The Repub-
LEANS u word that ut iini had more Of
generic than political meaning grew into
the Dcmocmuc party, with distinctive
Issues Of policy at variance with
those Of the Wing party, which
WIS continuation Of the Fcdcrilist
party which WINS established ON n central
iEing Interpretation OF the Federal Consti-
tuition. Many former Republicans, like
Henry Clay, helped to form the Wing
party, and these iurccd whatever Of modi-
iication ihcr was Ia the Wing doctrines
~ conlnslcd with those oi the fcdcmlists
The Republican party, a purely sectional
pary-aud the only one that has ever
existed in the country-was formed Of
abolition Whigs aud ircc.soil Democrats
when the civil war broke out nearly all
the Whigs went OVER Ia that party, aud
Il thus became n dominant party, not be-
cause Of liz principles, but because of the
cxigcncy that had separated the sections
and prevented the continued cooperation
ol the southern with the northern
Democrats After the war and
until 1876 the southern Democrats were
mainly taken up with the restoration Of
their State governments, and II was not
until this was accomplished that they
could unite their full strength with that
Of the northern Democrats for the accom-
plishment oi u national success The Pro
hibitionists, In few States, have had very
great success, but in many they have been
defeated Of their purpose, because they
have attempted those purposes unaidcd by
either Of the two great parties. In this
State the people ar indebted to the Dem
ocratc party Cor whatever OF temperance
legislation has been accomplished II ia
the party n reform, and can be plicd upon
TO carry out the wishes Of the people, ~ OK.
pressed by the majority. A Prohibition
party In Tennessee would necessarily take a
great many votes from the Democratic
party more than from the Republican.
This would open q way for that party that
Il would no, be slow TO avail itself Of and
the result would be something akin to the
condition We escaped In 1870. This
= is not desirable ON any account rrohi.
b bition, oven II Il could he accomplished by
any such result, which is, TO say the least,
doubtful, would be too dearly purchased.
Therefore We think the rrohibiiionisls have
acted wisely In resolving not to form a
third party. But, II they carry on, their
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